1921 San Diego mayoral election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1921 San Diego mayoral election
| country =
| flag_image = Flag of San Diego, California.svg
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1919 San Diego mayoral election
| previous_year = 1919
| next_election = 1923 San Diego mayoral election
| next_year = 1923
| election_date = {{Start date|1921|4|5}}
| image1 = x150px
| nominee1 = John L. Bacon
| party1 = Republican Party (US)
| popular_vote1 = 8,302
| percentage1 = 50.2%
| image2 = x150px
| nominee2 = James E. Wadham
| party2 = Democratic Party (US)
| popular_vote2 = 8,220
| percentage2 = 49.8%
| map_image =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| title = Mayor
| before_election = Louis J. Wilde
| before_party = Republican Party (US)
| after_election = John L. Bacon
| after_party = Republican Party (US)
}}
{{ElectionsCA}}
The 1921 San Diego mayoral election was held on April 5, 1921, to elect the mayor for San Diego. In the primary election, former mayor James E. Wadham and former City Councilmember John L. Bacon received the most votes and advanced to the runoff. Bacon was then elected mayor with a majority of the votes.
Candidates
- John L. Bacon, former member of the San Diego City Council{{cite book|last1=McGrew|first1=Clarence Alan|title=City of San Diego and San Diego County: The Birthplace of California|date=1922|publisher=American Historical Society|page=[https://archive.org/details/citysandiegoand00socigoog/page/n270 232]|url=https://archive.org/details/citysandiegoand00socigoog|quote=John L. Bacon Birthplace of California.|access-date=July 1, 2017|language=en}} and Assistant City Manager{{cite web|title=Bacon, John L. (Assistant city manager, then M...|url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb4097147b|website=Library Digital Collections|publisher=UC San Diego|access-date=July 1, 2017|language=en}}
- James E. Wadham, former mayor of San Diego
- Frank H. Heskett, attorney
- Lewis R. Kirby
- Charles A. Allen
- Ludwig S. Gerlough
- William I. Kinsley
- Alfred L. Lee
Campaign
Incumbent Mayor Louis J. Wilde declined to stand for reelection, calling the position of mayor a thankless job. The main three candidates to succeed Wilde were former mayor James E. Wadham, former City Councilmember John L. Bacon, and attorney Frank H. Heskett.
On March 22, 1921, Wadham received the highest number of votes in the primary election, followed by Bacon, allowing both men to advance to the runoff. Heskett, who came in third and was therefore eliminated, actively supported Wadham for the runoff. On April 5, 1921, Bacon narrowly defeated Wadham by 82 votes out of 16,522. Wadham appealed to the superior court for a recount, but this did not change the outcome. Bacon therefore assumed the office of the mayor.
Primary Election results
{{Election box begin no change
| title = San Diego mayoral primary election, 1921{{cite web|title=Election History - Mayor of San Diego|url=https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/city-clerk/pdf/mayorresults.pdf|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = James E. Wadham
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 5,040
| percentage = 36.9
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John L. Bacon
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 4,744
| percentage = 34.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Frank H. Heskett
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 2,214
| percentage = 16.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Lewis R. Kirby
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 896
| percentage = 6.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Charles A. Allen
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 351
| percentage = 2.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Ludwig S. Gerlough
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 310
| percentage = 2.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = William I. Kinsley
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 55
| percentage = 0.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Alfred L. Lee
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 34
| percentage = 0.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 13,644
| percentage= 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
General Election results
{{Election box begin no change
| title = San Diego mayoral general election, 1921
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John L. Bacon
| party = Republican Party (US)
| votes = 8,302
| percentage = 50.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = James E. Wadham
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 8,220
| percentage = 49.8
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 16,522
| percentage= 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{1921 United States elections|state=collapsed}}{{California gubernatorial elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:San Diego mayoral election, 1921}}
Category:1921 California elections